I know that He’ll help me I know that he’s prepared me and that He prepares each and every one of us.
Something that I think is the biggest lesson that I learned on my mission is that we are sons and daughters of Jesus Christ, of our Father in Heaven. The most important thing that I’ve taken from my mission, is a relationship with my Father in Heaven. I know that there is no greater thing in this life than to have a relationship with Him. And I know that we form this relationship through covenants. I know that when me make covenants with the Lord, that He lifts and strengthens us. I know that He knows His children and I know that He knows and loves each and every single one of you. That He knows your trials and your tribulations. But He also knows your joys and your strengths and every little thing about us! I know that He sees the grand potential that we all have.
There is a quote by President Nelson in “The Everlasting Covenant”, He said that, “The covenant path is all about our relationship with God—our hesed relationship with Him. When we enter a covenant with God, we have made a covenant with Him who will always keep His word. He will do everything He can, without infringing on our agency, to help us keep ours.”
I think that’s such a wonderful promise! That He gave us our agency so that we can learn and grow and become more like Him. I know that in my mission, it was not easy, it was very hard. There were lots of different trials that came that I wasn’t expecting and maybe some that I was. But I do know that Jesus Christ was with me every step of the way. There’s a scripture in Mosiah 24, that I really love. It just talks about how much God loves us and how He will come to us in times of need. It says “Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.” I know that Jesus Christ loves and strengthens us, that He died on a cross for us and that He rose three days later, to take upon Him the scars and tribulations and joys of our lives.
One of my friends that I met and was able to teach on my mission, she was able to go through the temple about two weeks ago. And I was able to be there and be in her endowment session when she went through. And I’d never felt happier or more proud of somebody. I really felt so much joy and so much love for her. It was really cool because she had pretty much made up her mind beforehand, that she was not gonna meet with the missionaries, she wouldn’t go to church, she didn’t wanna go to church because she didn’t wanna leave her house on Sunday and she wouldn’t be getting baptized. Because she just didn’t want to. So it really made me so happy and so proud of her that she had done the work and she had listened to the spirit and been led and guided. When I was able to talk to her on the phone, she said “aren’t you so proud of me Bonnie?” She wouldn’t ever call me Sister Barlow because she just couldn’t remember my last name. She said “Look at how far I’ve come!” I just told her “I really am so proud of you, I’m so happy for you and I can tell of what a great difference it has made in your life”
When I was called to Ohio, I was called English speaking. After 5 months, I had gone through training and I felt like I was really ready to keep on teaching and helping everybody in English. But I got called to switch and go Spanish speaking. I took Spanish in High School but I didn’t like it or apply myself. I had no reason to use it at all, but God had other plans and I was able to teach in the Spanish language. I was able to teach a lot of people from lots of different countries, from all over Latin America and Mexico. There’s lots of different people in Ohio. I think it’s so cool to meet people from different backgrounds. It’s really interesting when these people are coming to America, it really is a vulnerable time for them. They have a lot of needs and as missionaries we have to meet those needs. Our first purpose is to help their spiritual needs, but they have lots of trials that they must overcome to become self-sufficient and be able to focus on their spiritual needs.
A friend of mine, he had gotten to America three weeks prior. He was brand new and he referred himself to learn with missionaries. I love this friend so much. He came to America and he was ready to hear the Gospel. As we taught him, he was just the most prepared person I think I’ve ever met. He was so happy and you could see the light in his eyes. He would nod so much as we were teaching him the gospel. We taught him about power and authority, how Jesus Christ had restored His power and authority on this Earth. And that this church, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints really is Jesus Christ’s Church and that this church does have the power and authority to baptize, so that we can make a covenantal relationship with God and live with our families and God forever, if we choose Him. As I was inviting him to be baptized, he kept nodding “yes yes yes yes”. I couldn’t even finish the invitation, he was just so eager I wondered if he knew what I was saying. But he did! And I know that he’s been so blessed. He’s been a wonderful example to his family and friends and that’s the biggest thing that we can do as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, we can be examples, we can lead by example. And I know that having a testimony of Jesus Christ doesn’t mean that we just preach in the streets all day like one does as a missionary.
I’m so grateful that I got to do that, that I was able to preach, teach and cry repentance unto the people of Ohio. Even though that’s not quite how you do it, you know, you have to actually be a normal person and relate with people. But I’m super grateful for the opportunity to bear Christ’s name on my chest. It hurts to not have it on anymore. But I know that as we are kind and loving to other people, when we have Charity for others, and we accept Christ into our hearts and we
act on our faith, and repent daily, that Jesus Christ will bless us with the Spirit! The Spirit is such a great gift that we have! To be able to have a member of the Godhead be with us forever is the biggest thing that we should strive for! To be able to have His spirit and feel His love and be led
and guided by Him is a wonderful feeling! Learning Spanish on the mission, I know that God helped me! I could not have taught and communicated with these people if not for God. Everything that I have, I owe to God.
My Mission President is very very sweet. He’s very kind and he’s very spirit-led. When he came into the mission, he taught us was to “seek to bless rather than to impress”. I know that that’s such a wonderful thing that we should strive for. As we come across people and talk with them, that we should seek to serve and strive to help them. That’s something that really helped me through my mission. I know that in times of need, during my hardest times on my mission, if I
looked out towards others and did what my parents taught me from a young age, to lift and serve; that the Spirit can come into our life immediately, that we can immediately feel Him. The spirit feels wonderful. The Spirit feels different for everybody because God loves His children and He wants us to know that He personally loves us. For me, I feel the Spirit in different ways at different times. I know that when I serve other people, that I feel really happy, I feel really fulfilled. I know that that feeling comes from God. There’s a scripture in D&C 81, it talks about how we can fulfill our covenants with the Lord. It says, “ And in doing these things thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings, and wilt promote the glory of him who is your Lord. Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father. Behold, and lo, these are the words of Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ. Amen.”
I know that as we fulfill our callings from the Lord, whether it be in nursery, whether we be missionaries, or have a youth calling, that these are callings from the Lord and that as we seek to serve and lift and succor those in need, that Jesus Christ has promised us Eternal Life. I know that these things are true because I’ve felt them by the power of the Spirit. I know that the Spirit cannot lie because He is a member of the Godhead. I know that Jesus Christ has a physical body, that God is our loving Heavenly Father and that He sent His Son to die for us, so that we can have someone to turn to, that we can know who to become more like. I know that our purpose in this life is to become more like God. And that Jesus Christ and God that they will do everything in their power to help us become more like them. That He will send us His Spirit so that we can learn to be more like Him.
I know that in everything that we do, that there is hardship and that we might suffer. I think a lot of the time that as members of the church, we may feel that we shouldn’t be suffering because we have made promises with the Lord, “why would we be suffering?” But I know that Jesus Christ suffered the will of the Father! And that our suffering can be swallowed up in the joy of the Lord. I want to be swallowed up in the joy of the Lord. I want my countenance to reflect my Father in Heaven! I want others to know God when I speak with them. Not so that I can impress them, but that their lives may be blessed.
I know that the mission, being able to serve a mission, has given me opportunities to testify of my Father in Heaven. I know that we can do that everyday! I wasn’t planning on serving a mission my whole life, it was kind of a quick decision. But it was very thoughtful and spirit-led. I know that when I was set apart, as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that it was confirmed to me by my Father in Heaven, that what I was doing was correct. That when we follow the Spirit and make choices to follow Him and to serve His children; I know that He will help us and that He will testify to us that what we are doing is right and correct, that it takes a leap of faith.
A little example from today, I had had my talk prepared, but then it was deleted . I was really scared and was talking to my parents about how I was frustrated. “I had this all prepared and I wasn’t gonna have to worry about what I was gonna have to say or anything.” I was just gonna
rely on my own strength, but I know that that’s wrong, that what I’ve said today, that these things are true. I know so because I feel the Spirit and I know that each one of you can feel the Spirit, if we receive Him.
If there’s anyone out there thinking about a mission, pray and start your papers, if you’re old enough. But I know that if you’re not old enough and want to prepare for your mission, that you can pray and learn more about missionaries in the Book of Mormon, in the scriptures. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I’ve read it and I’ve come to love it, and I know that each one of you can do that too!
I know that these things are true. I know that we have a Father in Heaven who truly does love and care for us. I know that the small and simple truths of the Gospel are true. That these foundational truths teach us exactly who we are and how we can become better! I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know that Jesus Christ is His Son. I know that the Book of Mormon is true because I’ve read it. I’ve felt the Spirit as I’ve testified of Joseph Smith to be a prophet. I know that there are secondary questions that may creep in and form doubts. I know that we can have questions, but I will never doubt that these things are true. That when people have questions, we can lead them to the Savior and that we can find answers in the scriptures. Just like in Lehi’s dream that he didn’t go out seeking to drag his family to the tree, but that he stayed there and he called them to him. We shouldn’t change our beliefs or back down when people confront us and try to change our beliefs, that we can stay strong and have a foundation of faith. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He loves me and each one of you. I’m so grateful for my mission, I know that it has blessed my life and I’m really excited to keep on living His Gospel and sharing with other people. I say these things in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Comentarios